Immune system on high alert as the weather changes
Simple Tips to Boost Your Immune System
As our bodies adjust to the new season after adapting to the summer, we struggle again. The transition season, with its significant temperature differences and dry weather day and night, weakens our immune system, and many people suffer from respiratory diseases such as rhinitis and colds. Today, we will introduce five ways to strengthen our immunity.
Drinking water frequently can prevent viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens from entering our body through the mouth and respiratory system. This is because moist respiratory mucosa promotes ciliary movement. Drinking about 1.5-2 liters of water a day is sufficient. Lukewarm water is the best for our health as cold water overly stimulates the autonomic nervous system.
Getting enough sleep is like a free immune booster. For adults, sleeping for at least 7 hours and for children, sleeping for at least 12 hours is the best way to enhance immunity. While we sleep, our body’s white blood cells, T cells, which remove virus-infected cells, become more active. Additionally, the secretion of cytokines, proteins that regulate immune responses, increases. In fact, people who sleep less than 7 hours are 2.94 times more likely to catch a cold than those who sleep more than 8 hours.
Regular exercise helps maintain the immune system. When we exercise, immune-regulating and anti-inflammatory substances are secreted from our muscles, reducing the risk of diseases and increasing the production of antioxidant enzymes, which help activate physiological functions, including immunity. Increased muscle mass also improves blood flow and enhances immune function by raising body temperature.
The intestines account for 70% of our body’s immune cells. One of the things that is good for intestinal health is probiotics. Probiotics are bacteria that live in the intestines and benefit our health. They promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibit harmful bacteria, helping to maintain a healthy intestinal environment.
Vitamin D, which boosts immunity, is synthesized when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D improves the body’s antibacterial action, reduces the risk of viral infections, and supports the function of cells that fight infections, such as white blood cells. Research has shown that the probability of exposure to diseases such as influenza increases by more than 40% when the vitamin D concentration in the blood is lower than the normal range.
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